In national security-relevant areas, for example at airports, the identity of a traveler needs to be checked several times. To this end, identification control points of a control system, for example a border control system, are usually distributed through the area.
In order to detect identity data, each identification control point has a document scanning device which scans the identity data, for example a name of the person, with the aid of an identification document.
A conventional document scanning device comprises a document bed, on which an identification document can be placed for data detection. The document bed is conventionally light transparent, so that the camera arranged below the document bed can optically detect the identification document. To this end, the identification document may be illuminated by means of infrared or ultraviolet light.
In order to scan data of an identification document, for example of a passport, the latter is in particular placed folded open in a well-defined way onto the document bed, which is formed by a glass plate. Below the document bed there is a camera, as well as, for example, a white-light, ultraviolet-light or infrared luminous means, which illuminates the identification document with light of a predetermined wavelength. In order to scan the camera data and control the luminous means, it is for example possible to use a processor which, for example, can detect the authenticity of the document and, for example, output a corresponding signal, when there is correct positioning of a data page of an identification document on a document bed. If the identification document is for example placed on the document bed in a rotated fashion, however, detection errors may arise which make verification of the authenticity of an identification document more difficult.
One disadvantage of the known document scanning devices is that they can usually be operated reliably only by trained personnel. This is because the identification documents usually need to be placed on the document beds in a very particular way, for example aligned straight, so that error-free data detection can be carried out. Error-free self-operation of document scanning devices by untrained personnel, for example travelers, is therefore not readily possible. Self-operation of the document scanning devices by passengers is, however, desirable, for example in order to allow faster border crossing or faster clearance of individuals in an airport.
Another disadvantage of the known document scanning devices is their sensitivity to stray light. This is because, in the event of stray light incident on the transparent document bed, and therefore in a camera detection region, optical features of an identification document, for example ultraviolet features, cannot be detected reliably.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a more efficient document scanning device, which for example allows self-operation by untrained users.